The official blog for The Will to be True: In the Shadow of the Blackbird by Judith D. Andrade

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Throwing Hillary Rosen under the bus is disgraceful. Everyone did it today except for the President. Thank you to Terry O’Neill for giving full and practical voice to the comment while speaking on the Ed show. The comment was about choice. Mitt Romney does not support choice for the women of America who have little or no choice. Ann Romney had a choice which is denied to millions of women everywhere. I support Hillary Rosen.

All the recent activity in the newspapers about adults in responsible positions who molest children in their care is and should be thought provoking. The stories demand action and words because the nature of the act goes against all that is sacred in childhood. Because these stories continue to make news it is clear that the actions of these predators have not abated. Blaring headlines continue to generate a feeling of distrust for the integrity of institutions which have not protected our children. Victims who may or may not have remained silent over the years continue to suffer.

Every time child molestation becomes a subject of public debate, some long time predators are exposed but at the bottom of anyone’s caring list is the long line of victims who continue to suffer various forms of post traumatic stress because they re-live the events personal to their own lives.
Before this most recent spate of chatter in the news, I started writing *a story about the fallout of childhood sexual abuse. Although the narrative is fiction, it contains elements of someone’s truth. I hope that those who read it will be able to know that they are not alone even though loneliness is the hallmark of keeping such secrets hidden. We don’t know what threats are forced on children making them have to lie about the abuse but that is another part of the story separate, but also ancillary to the effects of the actual abuse.
I hope to see the end of this predatory action on children.
What was done in the wake of other major well publicized events has been helpful but hardly seems to make a dent in the consciousness of predators past and present who are still out there. There is no group of survivors marching the streets in support of victims but there are tireless workers who try to help children of all ages, forever trapped in the mists of a murky childhood, struggling with normalcy as an adult, but wanting to see justice and an end to this disgusting criminal act.

*Fanfiction – Blunt Thou The Lion’s Paw

** Other real life stories available at Discover the Path – Women of Courage

I have been wishin’ for more time to spend at the joy of writin’. It’s not been happenin’! I am happy to have completed all my course work in anticipation of my ordination at the end of the month. I miss puttin’ in a little note here and there on the blog but I am workin’ hard at somethin’. This weekend and last, I married two couples. The ceremony, no matter how many times I say it, becomes fresh when I look in their happy and hopeful faces.
I am hopin’ that this comin’ week is full of interestin’ information as I prepare for my trip south to NYC. I love that place and I am lookin’ forward to spendin’ time there with like minded souls.
Some good changes have made life more interestin’. I have rented my ‘lighthouse’ and all the pictures which used to grace the walls are now at home with me. One of my favourites is the Orthodox Virgin and Child. I am sure there are lots more things to do many of which will not get done wishin’ and hopin’ but those feelings are a necessary part of each day. Without dreams and hope of fulfillin’ those dreams we are lost.

I have tried to stay away from the seductive pull of writing. Study has had to take priority over the fun of creativity. I could not resist forming the occasional paragraph at the end of a days study. It’s a strange way to write chapters and very different from my usual information resourcing.
I think in this story I will make it easy and write about a work related event so that it will be easier to craft something.
Each time I work out an opening, I seek out the sonnets of Shakespeare for my for my inspiration. The one I chose this time was the 78th for its hommage to the muse. If anyone who writes does not believe in the power of the muse to bring ideas to the surface, just check out the words of the great bard.
How lovely it is!
In addition to writing, I get to imagine my young hero in action once again using the handsome Vasily Stepanov as my actor in the drama unfolding in the streets and tunnels of New York City.

Today marks the beginning of a new chapter in a dream nearly 15 years in the making. As a child I was profoundly affected by the way in which Sunday morning televised church services used to hold my interest. It wasn’t the message although that came through but it was the way in which several ministers, particularily Oral Roberts used the power of ‘laying on hands’ to heal the sick. I know that some of that may have been made for TV style but at heart I also believed in the power of prayer and a strong personal belief to affect cures. I think I have spent a lifetime trying to understand how to help people through the worst times of their lives using as little as possible from modern medicine. I recognize the value of medicine to work its own kind of science but there have been times when only prayer has made the difference.
After getting my degree in Divinity, I worked with my partners to establish a community organization which would provide the kind of healing support which falls between active medical care and the end of life. In my experience, only prayer and more prayer or meditative practice can bridge the gap.
Healing is an individual process which can be helped by support from others. Today the healing ministry which was started with such high hopes so many years ago, comes back to life. We will welcome all to our serivces. The title of our opening song, written by Dan Fogelberg’ is, ‘There’s a magic every moment, and goes on to say that ‘there’s a miracle each day.’ I sincerely believe this to be true. I don’t think we will rise to the level of Oral Roberts in our size and scope for our little place in Creemore is limited but we hope to make change in the lives of those who share in our vision for wellness and healing.